Statement on the Arrest of 19 South Africans in DRC

Tshwane- The South African Foreign Affairs Department has been officially advised by its Diplomatic Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo of the arrest on, Friday 19 May 2006, by the DRC's law enforcement agencies of 19 holders of South African passports alongside three Americans and four Nigerians.

16 of these South African passport holders are members of the Omega Security Company, which has contracts with the DRC's National Transport office for the training of security personnel in Matadi, Boma and Mouanda. The other three South African passport holders work for a mining company, Mirabulis as interpreters.

According to information at the disposal of the South African Diplomatic Mission in DRC, investigations are currently underway even though the authorities have indicated that the detainees are being on held on allegations of "destabilisation of government institutions".

The Diplomatic Mission has been granted permission for a consular visit to the detainees on Tuesday 23 May 2006. The mission will continue with efforts to verify the nationalities of the detainees with a view to providing full consular assistance whilst monitoring investigations.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

24 May 2006